To take my Dd out of school for a day at the zoo?

[Washingmachineneverstops]

Dd is in Primary. We have a tradition that we go to a special and expensive zoo/amusement park each year. Weekends and holidays are far too busy and more expensive. Previously when she was younger and not at school, we’d go during the week and we have great memories.
She has been previously very unwell but has worked so hard this year and been in school every day. Her school reports are excellent, she completes all homework and is top in every subject.

Would it be wrong to have just one, quiet day of us together at our special place?

It couldn’t be a Friday sadly as I work then, but a Thursday. I worry though as to what to say to the teacher. I’m not going to lie and say she’s ill, but do I just say we’re having a day out 😬

Where does it say she’s 5? I assumed much older given the reference to a special annual tradition - if she’s only 5 there won’t have been any sort of tradition that she’ll have remembered!

Go anyway though.

It's a day, not a week or a month 🙄

No problem. Actually there's no teaching anyway that day because the teacher has fucked off to the zoo for the day.

Well if you're not going to lie, I'm not sure what else you would say?

Just keep her home and say you have a family day planned. No need to go into detail over one day - they really won't care.

What do you say to the teacher/school?

We’re supposed to email in on the morning they won’t be in school, should I just say it then?

Yes, I’d email or phone in and say your dc won’t be in as you have a family day planned. It’s 2 unauthorised sessions and it won’t matter at all.

I just said we were going to London for the day, going to theme park etc.

Your child will probably tell them anyway

So? That's still a day's worth of work that the child has to make up in their own time, pretty quickly, as the material will be built on in the next lessons, so they don't fall further behind.

My conscientious student child wouldn't want to do this for worry of what they were missing. My non-conscientious child wouldn't want to do it because it would mean extra work when he got back.

I don't think you should. Save it for a Saturday in the autumn, something to look forward to after going back to school. Or perhaps in January which can be difficult for many.

Better to tell them in advance so no arrangements are made on the basis of your child being there. Your child will tell them anyway.

Do it! To make you ferl better Me and DC go away in 12 days!

It’s not a Master’s in Astrophysics. I’m sure an an average 5/6/7 year old can cope with missing a day of school.

Perhaps read the posts back and you'll see this was in reference to not making this a tradition as there will be a point when it's not appropriate i.e. later secondary school. I'm quite clearly not suggesting that a 5/6/7 year old is missing anything that can't easily be made up if they miss a day.

I'm a teacher and I really would not begrudge a parent for this at Primary level especially! I'd do it if I could be out with mine during term time! We have many families that have a weekend away this time of year so have a Monday or Friday off so I don't see how it's any different to that. I'd just tell them; it will be unauthorised on most occasions but that doesn't matter for 1 day.

We did this on inset days. We usually went to Chessington. It was brilliant because it was often so quiet that we could get straight back on a ride without queing.

@Washingmachineneverstops it's awful you are feeling the pressure to go through these agonies
Take her our and enjoy the day .
We took ours out a few times . A few times .
We did a surprise trip to Disney once ( Paris )
Go and enjoy tell them she's ill. .we shouldn't be made to feel like this and we should be able to freely ask ! Both DC doing extremely well academically .

If a child can't cope missing a single day of school, then they have bigger issues.

I really feel that life’s too short, I just don’t want to sense any negativity towards Dd/the situation from the teacher

The school wont care about one day.

Not in Chester Zoo.

All you’ll get here is a load of sanctimonious bell ends tell you you’ll ruin her life/how awful the zoo is.
Take her, enjoy. The crowds are horrific on the weekend, I’d avoid like the plague. Tell the school she’s sick your kid won’t even know why she’s off and the school won’t ask.

They really won't care. Just go and have fun.